As is known in the art, shutters are used for both aesthetic and functional purposes on a dwelling, such as a residential or commercial building. Aesthetically, shutters are utilized to add décor and character to the dwelling. Although these decorative types of shutters typically remain in an open position on the dwelling, they create an appearance of being a functional shutter.
On the other hand, in a closed position, the shutters are used for functional purposes. These functional shutters typically include a decorative panel and a support panel backing, or supporting, the decorative panel. These functional shutters pivot from the open position to the closed position and operate to protect windows, doors, and other openings of the dwelling during inclement weather, such as precipitation storms, wind storms, and hurricanes.
However, the shutters of the prior art are deficient. More specifically, because the decorative shutters are not intended for functional purposes, they are manufactured from raw materials that do not provide adequate protection to dwellings. The functional shutters of the prior art, even in the closed position, are deficient in that they do not satisfy ASTM Standard Specifications for “Storm Shutters” as required according to the International Building Code (IBC). These shutters are not impact-resistant. Instead, these shutters fracture upon impact from debris, such as windborne debris that is particularly active during the inclement weather. Ultimately, the conventional shutters do not adequately protect the windows, doors, and other openings of the dwelling during the inclement weather.
Some shutters have attempted to incorporate certain compositions into the decorative panel and the support panel to bolster the impact resistance provided by the shutter. However, these attempts have not compatibilized the compositions between the decorative panel and the support panel. As a result, the support panel may not be adequately bonded to the decorative panel such that the support panel does not adequately back, or support, the decorative panel, and the decorative panel frequently fractures independent of the support panel.
Due to the deficiencies in the shutters of the prior art, including those described above, it is desirable to provide a novel shutter assembly that satisfies the ASTM Standard Specifications as required by the IBC such that the shutter assembly is impact-resistant and does not fracture upon impact from debris.